Slide skate



March 22, 1960 c. E. JONES Erm.

SLIDE SKATE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 15, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 March 22, 1960 C, E, JONES l-:TAL

SLIDE SKATE Filed July l5, 1957 United States Patent O SLIDE SKATE Charles E. Jones, Chicago, and Wiliiam G. Crowle, Berwyn, Ill., assignors to Daniel D. Kipnis and Emanuel Schwartz, both of Chicago, lll.

Application July 15, 1957, Serial No. 671,838

4 Claims. (Cl. 280-11.13)

4as by bonding, to form the body of the slide skate, said body is sufficiently rigid as to resist twisting, warping and breakage. The structure also includes novel means in the form of a simply constructed toggle vlatch for drawing a heel strap firmly about the heel of the shoe of the wearer. i

lt is therefore an object of the invention to provide a novelly constructed rugged slide skate of the character described.

Another object is to provide a slide skate with a molded plastic body that is easily fabricated in two matching parts and rigidly joined together inexpensively.

Another object is to provide a slide skate of the character described with a novel strap tightening toggle latch and mounting therefor.

With the foregoing and such other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, arrangement and combination of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in theappended claims, it being understood that various changes .in form, proportion, size and minor details of the structure may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Referring to the drawings in which the same characters of reference are employed to identify corresponding parts:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of -a slide skate embodying the features of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view, taken substantially on line 2-2 of Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary vertical longitudinal sectional view of the toe portion of the slide skate, showing the toggle latch in released position.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially on line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially on line 5 5 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a vertical transverse sectional View taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 7 lis an enlarged transverse sectional view taken on line 7-7 of Pig. 2.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, the slide skate body comprises an elongated flat foot portion 10 terminating at its front end in an upwardly curved toe portion 12 having a rounded or snub nose 14 and a latch housing 16 on its top surface. The slide skate body is fabricated from two sections, one of which comprises a bottom 18 and the other a top 20, which are bonded together to form a rugged unitary structure.

The bottom 18 is molded in one piece from suitable plastic material and it includes a thin elongated narrow bottom wall 22 having a longitudinally extending invertefi substantially semi-circular channel 24 on its longitudinal center which is substantially coextensive with its length. This channel provides, in effect, a pair of laterally spaced runner surfaces 26 (Figs. 6-7) which merge into the upwardly curved front end portion 28 of the bottom wall 22 and also functions to reinforce said bottom wall.

Additional reinforcement for the thin bottom wall is provided in the form of an upstanding perimeter wall 30 (Fig. 4) inwardly spaced longitudinal upstanding anges 32, which are coextensive with the longitudinal portions of the perimeter wall 30, and by crossed webs 34 and a central longitudinal reinforcing rib 36. The side portions of the perimeter wall 30, as well as the upstanding flanges 32 and rib 36 are provided with transversely aligned gaps 31)', 32' and 36', located substantially midway of the length of the bottom 18. These gaps define an upwardly opening transverse channel 38 bordered on its sides by ribs 40 for a purpose to be described presently.

The top20 is also molded in one piece from suitable plastic and it includes ath-in top wall 42'of a size -land shaie corresponding to the size and shape of the bottom wa 22.

ceiving portion of said wall 42 preferably is formed with curved front end portion has the latch housing 16 formed integral therewith. Said housing comprises a lateral wall,v

or toe plate 46, which is slightly V-shaped in horizontal section, longitudinally converging side walls 48 and a top wall 50. A substantially rectangular longitudinally extending slot 52 is provided in the top' wall 50 anda pair of spaced vertical slots 54 are formed in the lateral wall 46.

The bottom face of the top wall 42 has a pair of integral downwardly extending ribs 56 substantially coextensive with its length and each spaced inwardly from the respective longitudinal edge a distance sufficiently to permit said ribs 56 to seat into the spaces between the related portions of the perimeter wall 30 and the flanges 32 on the bottom 1S when the two parts are assembled, as is best shown in Fig. 7, A suitable bond 58 (Fig. 7)

is applied to the opposed surfaces of the top 20 and bottom i3 when assembled so as to provide a very rigid assembly. Added reinforcement is provided in the toe portion of the slide skate by the presence of a tubular boss 59 on the inside face of the bottom wall which receives snugly an aligning pin integral with the bottom face of the top wall.

The ribs 56 are provided with laterally aligned gaps 6i (Fig. 6) which register with the transverse channel 38 in the bottom so as to maintain an uninterrupted passageway through which a foot attaching toe-strap 62 is threaded.

The slide skate assembly also includes a heel strap 64 which is threaded through the vertical slots 54 in the latch housing 16. As shown, the free ends of the strap extend rearwardly from said housing for securement about the heel of the Wearers shoe and its looped end 64 is disposed wholly within the latch housing 16 and is engaged by a latch assembly, generally indicated at 66, mounted within said housing.

Referring now particularly to Figs. 2, 3 and 5, the latch assembly 66 comprises a U-shaped metal bracket 68 mounted firmly on a pair of upstanding bosses 70 on the inside of the bottom wall 22 as by means of drive The top surface ofthe elongated atfoot re- Yhou adsense Serews I2-Y lfhe side walls .68" of said bracket extend upwardly-forwardly to provide inclined upper edges 74, andv bearings 76 for pivotally mounting a hand engaging clamp member;k 78, which isc substantially rectangular in shape Yabri-Ote size t9 Substantially fill: the-s1et52finthe s when in the elesed-Or Vclamped Position Shawn in 'Elst-.2t Thisfelaxnn member. is. formed from metal sheet and it includes end wall-S thatis` suitably aper 1 comprising, in VVcombination,` a substantially*rectangular Vbottom wall,rpairs of spaced marginal` upstanding anges on said bottom wall, a substantially rectangular topV wall',

ly out of the plane of its top and bottom walls, a-longitudinal channel formed in the bottom Wall deiining spaced runner surfaces, and ahousing on said curved end Vportion integral with the top wall Vand into which the heel strap extends, said housing being adapted to en close means to tension the heel strap.v Y

Y 3. A slide'skate structure including a heel strap and depending marginal flanges on said top wall seated in the spaces between said pairs of flanges, said walls havingv the. llearer, theclamp.y memberY 778 is moved from the apen position shown. in Eig. 13 inte the. Strap tightening position illustrated in. Fig, 2. Thisv movement of the;

member 78k Vpulls the strap` 67,4 intoV the housingfand..the

4bottom edge 'ofi the strapridesv up the inclined edges, 74

of the bracket 68 thereby elevating( the rearmost end of the spring..Y At ,the same time, the-forward end of the springis carried upwardly ,by the. member 78 and, as a result, the Vaxis-of the said spring lies above the planev of:k the bearings l76 and the clamp remains closed or locked until released manually. 1 As: many possible, embodiments may be Vmade in. the invention, and as many changes might be made intheembodimentV aboveset. forth, itis to be understood,- that all mattersA hereinbeforet set,V forth or; shownin the. ac-l companying drawings are toghe interpreted aa-illustrative-Y and not: in` a limiting sense. t

. vHaving thus described the inventiomwhat is claimed, asy new and desired to be secured by Letter. P atent is:v

l. A slide skate, structure including. a heel strap andV corriprising,l in combination, an elongated thin hollow body having substantiallyV dat, spaced, parallel, topAA and bottom walls and; a shallowA peripheral connecting wall,

oneend portion ofv Saidv b ody being curved. out of thev plane of its topy and bottom walls, and a housing on said curved end portion integral'. with theV top wall` and into:

` which the heel strap extends, said housing being adapte te enclose. means to. tension theheel strap. p

2. A' rslideskate structure Vincluding an adjustable heel; strap.v and comprising in combination, Yan elongated thin hollowbodyhaving: substantiallyI at spaced parallel' topand bottom walls andai shallowr peripheral connecting walhone endportionvof said body being curved upwardmutually curved and Vtapered end portions.,` ran upwardly Y extending housing integral with the curved end portion of the top wall and into which the forwardly extending ends of the'heel strap are adapted to extend, said housing including a substantially vertically disposed toe plate andbeingfadapted to house means to Atension said. heel strap.

.74. Aslide skate structure having a heel strapl said' structure comprising,V in combination,v a substantially rectangular bottom wall, pairs of spaced marginal anges on said bottom wall, a substantially rectangular top wall,

depending marginal flanges'on said top. wall seated in the, spaces between said pairs-,ofjilangea said walls having mutually curved end portions,-.an lupwardlyextending housing portion integral with the curved. endportion of.Y the, top Vwall and into which the heel strap'extends, one)4 wall oi saidV housing, constituting a toe plate, j and the housing being, adapted to enclose. means' operable for:

tightening saidv strap to draw the wearers. foot' firmly againstthe toe. plate.V

References Cited inl theile ofthispatent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

